What's on this weekend in Melbourne

Discover things to do in Melbourne this weekend, from free events to exhibitions, attractions and places to visit.

The NGV and Arts Centre lit up on a winter night.

This weekend

Burlesque performers on stage wearing black clothing and waving white boa fans.
Until

Briefs: The Works

Circus with attitude. Drag with muscle. Burlesque with bite.

Mossy bird's nest balanced between twig branches on a tree.
Until

Design X Nature

An outdoor exhibition of artworks exploring how natural systems inform creative practice.

A Melbourne Fashion Week outdoor fashion capsule installation of fashion mannequins in a large glass rectangular case, displayed in a public space.
Until

Fashion Capsules

A diverse series of curated exhibitions in surprising locations across the city.

A woman eating fire from sticks with Fringe Festival lettering in the background in blue.
Until

Melbourne Fringe Festival

Melbourne Fringe Festival returns with 500+ exciting, boundary-pushing arts events.

Performer dancing in front of a fish-eye image of Fed Square.
Until

Dhandha/Campfire

In an age of digital isolation, Joel Bray is lighting the way back to each other.

Full-length studio portrait of a performer dressed as a stylised, theatrical pink clown against a solid light blue background.
Until

Adore Händel’s Birthday Party

You're invited to the birthday of history's most scandalous time-travelling songbird.

A ballet company performing on stage with ballerinas forming a guard around a central dancer.
Until

The Stuttgart Ballet: The Sleeping Beauty

Germany’s premier ballet company returns to Melbourne with a dazzling classic.

A crowd of people with pink powder flares in a city setting
Until

StreetBeats: Photography Exhibition

The Australian Association of Street Photographers' annual photography exhibition.

A still from a movie showing an actress dressed as a bride with three people behind her, all looking pensive.
Until

Greek Film Festival

Celebrating the best of Greek storytelling at Kino Cinema.

A performer sits at the top of a tall ladder, playing an electric guitar while below them, another performer stands facing away from the camera, holding the ladder steady with uplifted arms.
Until

Ocker

Ocker is roving circus tearing through the streets on a portable railway track built in real time.

Illuminated panels with shades of red on a black background.
Until

Melbourne International Jazz Festival

A city-wide celebration of jazz, improvisation and boundary-pushing contemporary music.

Man wearing traditional Italian dress - red hat, green waistcoat, holding an Italian flag in front of the Exhibition Building.
Until

Italian Festa and Expo

Celebrating all thing Italian at the Royal Exhibition Building and Museum Plaza.

Author and educator Hannah Shaw, widely known as the Kitten Lady, holding a small kitten, her blond hair falling to one side of her face, she stands in front of a wall of cat pictures.
Until

Cat Lovers Festival

Explore the latest and greatest products and services to spoil your furry feline friend.

Two fluffy white Samoyed dogs wearing decorative bandanas at a dog expo, with smiling young children looking at them.
Until

Dog Lovers Festival

This festival in an unforgettable celebration of our canine friends and a doggy shopping paradise!

Hands of a person presenting a single donut in a box.
Until

Melbourne Donut Festival

Enjoy a delectable array of sweet treats, playful entertainment and plenty of sugary delights.

A figure skater wearing a red and black costume skating on an ice rink with the words O'BRIEN ICEHOUSE visible on a hoarding in the background.
Until

Victorian Figure Skating Championships

See Victoria's top figure skaters compete for their state title.

A small cactus plant with bright orange flowers.
Until

Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens: Spring Plant Sale

Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne host their Growing Friends' Spring Plant Sale.

An angled shot shows two books resting on people's laps as they sit side-by-side on a wooden seat.

A Groovy Book Swap

The Literary Lounge hosts their very first book swap at Section 8.

Animated still, people outside a cinema with portico entry and sign.

Soul

A one-of-a-kind animated film featuring an Oscar-winning jazz soundtrack by Jon Batiste.

Regular weekend events

A woman eating fire from sticks with Fringe Festival lettering in the background in blue.
Until

Melbourne Fringe Festival

Melbourne Fringe Festival returns with 500+ exciting, boundary-pushing arts events.

Dark image of a Dracula figure lit with red light on stage.
Until

Dracula: Ballet at its Darkest

A bold, cinematic reimagining of the gothic classic.

Mossy bird's nest balanced between twig branches on a tree.
Until

Design X Nature

An outdoor exhibition of artworks exploring how natural systems inform creative practice.

Two people seated below a neon sign.
Until

The Story of the Moving Image

A permanent exhibition that journeys through the past, present and future of the moving image.

Animator and filmmaker Adam Elliot working on a claymation set, adjusting characters.
Until

Making Memoir of a Snail

Explore handmade sets, props and characters from Adam Elliot's claymation film Memoir of a Snail.

A plate of fluffy pancakes with ice-cream and chocolate over the top.
Until

Chocolate Family Adventure Day

Enjoy an all-inclusive, stress-free family outing filled with fun, creativity, and delicious treats.

Man holding an old-fashioned lantern outside illuminated Flinders St Station at night, wearing a suit and cap.
Until

Hidden Melbourne: Ghosts, Murder and Mystery

Take a spine-chilling journey back in time to explore the rich paranormal realm of Old Melbourne.

Black and white photograph from the 1960s of model, Twiggy, wearing a mini-dress at the Melbourne Cup.
Until

Swinging 60s

This exhibition looks at what it was like to live in Victoria during the 1960s.

A ballet company performing on stage with ballerinas forming a guard around a central dancer.
Until

The Stuttgart Ballet: The Sleeping Beauty

Germany’s premier ballet company returns to Melbourne with a dazzling classic.

A group of people on a guided walk of the Royal Botanic Gardens, with trees in the background.
Until

Free Guided Walk

A free guided walk is the perfect way to enjoy the sunny weather in Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne.

An ancient Roman marble bust with its nose chipped off, displayed on a small square plinth.
Until

Rome: Empire, Power, People

This Melbourne-exclusive exhibition is a vibrant exploration of Ancient Rome.

Three people on a walking tour with a Fit City tour guide, two carrying a takeaway coffee.
Until

Laneways and Lattes Walking Tour

Explore Melbourne’s hidden laneways with coffee, street art, history and culture.

Two people on a stage giving each other a high five, one also holding a microphone.
Until

Comedy at the Coopers Inn

A comedy club featuring the best local, interstate and international stand-up comedians.

Workshop class participants smiling in a studio setting, holding up mosaic pots and coasters they have made.
Until

Mosaic Making Workshop for Beginners

Learn the art of creating beautiful mosaics from start to finish.

A group of smiling participants in a studio workshop setting, holding glass-domed terrariums.
Until

Serene Terrarium: Workshop for Beginners

Create your mini plant world while enjoying a soothing cuppa and a calming environment.

Workshop participants smiling and holding multicoloured mosaic tiled coasters.
Until

Colourful Mosaic Coaster Workshop

Come and make mosaic coasters and step into the world of colours.

A close up of flower made from enamel craft
Until

Cloisonne Enamel Painting Workshop for Beginners

Create a unique drink coaster using the ancient cloisonné art.

Three smiling workshop participants in a studio space, holding up jewellery they have made.
Until

Polymer Clay Earring Workshop

Create beautiful jewellery in this fun workshop.

People looking up at the trees on a guided walk in the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Until

Aboriginal Heritage Walk

Wominjeka: journey into Melbourne Gardens with an Aboriginal guide.

Cheese and wine display on a table near a window.
Until

High Cheese

A bold three-tiered journey showcasing local and international cheeses, inspired by fire and water.

Installation view of the Spartans & Anzacs exhibition at the Shrine of Remembrance, with people walking around the space, reading panels and looking at displays.
Until

Spartans & Anzacs

This exhibition invites reflection on the enduring values forged in conflict.

Two theatrical costumes on display in front of a red curtain, featured in the ENCORE! exhibition at the Australian Museum of Performing Arts.
Until

Encore!

50 Objects. 50 Years. One Collection. Treasures from the Australian Museum of Performing Arts.

Two young adults observing a sculpture in a gallery space with digital and scupltural displays.
Until

EMERGENCE[Y]

An exhibition exploring how adaptation in a world of flux unfolds in every layer of life.

Artwork by Margaret Preston depicting Banksia flowers in a pot.
Until

Margaret Preston

NGV's new retrospective exhibition on Margaret Preston.

A large group of people in active wear all running on a path in park.
Until

Run the Tan: Run Club

Start the weekend off on the right foot with a run around the Tan.

A gallery space with paintings displayed on one white and one yellow wall, plus a series of totems or tree trunks displayed in a white stand in the middle.
Until

Ngarn Wa'ngal: Art of the Gum Tree

Discover how the iconic gum tree has inspired centuries of Australian art and culture.

Oktoberfest-themed illustration with man wearing a Tyrolean hat holding steins of beer, pretzel and meat, with a Melbourne tram.
Until

Oktoberfest at Hofbrauhaus

Celebrate German bier, food and music as the Hofbräuhaus Oktoberfest turns 58.

Looking over a blurred shoulder at a table with books displayed.
Until

World of the Book

Experience the rare, the sacred and the iconic in this one-of-a-kind exibition.

Stand-up comedian Sam Campbell, talking into a microphone they hold in their hand, performing live on stage.
Until

Main Stage: Stand-Up Comedy

Have a laugh with stand-up comedy from Australia's best comedians, plus international drop-ins.

Three ballerinas on a darkened stage in glowing tutu dresses.
Until

Ballet of Lights: Sleeping Beauty in a Sparkling Show

The classic fairytale is reimagined with glow-in-the-dark costumes and luminous staging.

Egg yolk pouring out of a long sub sandwich with cheese and salad.
Until

Gourmet Sandwich Hunt

Elevate your sandwich style with celebrity chef Darren Purchese.

Singers and dancers on a theatre stage in a scene from A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical, with spotlights and stage sets.
Until

A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical

An inspiring, exhilarating, energetic musical memoir.

Aerial view of an outdoor market on Southbank promenade, showing the Yarra River with boats on the right, market umbrellas and stalls on the concourse and city buildings in the background.
Until

Southbank Makers Market

Explore the Southbank Makers Market every Sunday on the promenade at Southgate.

A solar eclipse, with light emerging around the edges of the blacked-out sun.
Until

Solar Tours

Come and experience the wonders of the Sun at the historic Melbourne Observatory.

Grilled cheese toastie on a plate.
Until

Vego Toastie Hunt

Elevate your vego sandwich with celebrity chef Darren Purchese.

A dancer performs on a brightly illuminated stage wearing a white tutu and bodice outlined with glowing green neon lights, behind her is a framed portrait of two women.
Until

Ballet of Lights: Cinderella in a Sparkling Show

The classic fairytale is reimagined with glow-in-the-dark costumes and luminous staging.

A still from a videogame depicting a Chinese soldier fighting two warriors in front of an ancient Chinese temple.
Until

Feng Mengbo: Long March Restart

An free exhibition that playfully reimagines modern Chinese history as a videogame.

An egg-shaped figuring with a brown cowboy hat and a pistol.
Until

NEW26

The return of the much-loved NEW exhibition series at ACCA.

Burlesque performers on stage wearing black clothing and waving white boa fans.
Until

Briefs: The Works

Circus with attitude. Drag with muscle. Burlesque with bite.

Three long narrow boats with people seated in them and a guide standing at the rear of each boat, punting on the lake at Royal Botanic Gardens.
Until

Punting on the Lake

Glide between the bays and islands of Ornamental Lake on a guided boat cruise.

A Melbourne Fashion Week outdoor fashion capsule installation of fashion mannequins in a large glass rectangular case, displayed in a public space.
Until

Fashion Capsules

A diverse series of curated exhibitions in surprising locations across the city.

Performer on stage doing circus tricks, acrobats hanging in the air.
Until

Fijian Flying Circus

A world-first fusion of Fijian storytelling and contemporary circus.

Participants on the State Library Victoria Unlocked guided morning tour inside the iconic dome at State Library Victoria in Melbourne.
Until

State Library Victoria Unlocked

Join an exclusive guided tour and experience State Library Victoria before the doors open.

A young person with long blonde hair, wearing a green satin top and making an animated, expressive gesture with hands up near their face against a solid olive-green background.
Until

Tegan Higginbotham: Follow That Turtle!

Award-winning comedian Tegan Higginbotham is back with an unmissable hour of stand-up gold.

Black and white photograph of a busy Melbourne city intersection with trams, cars, people crossing the road, and buildings, dating from around the 1950s or 1960s.
Until

Making Modern Melbourne

This free exhibition examines the tumultuous twentieth century in Melbourne.

Four women standing and holding up small mosaic lamps in front of a circular neon sign.
Until

Mosaic Art Classes Melbourne: Turkish Lamp Workshop

Make beautiful mosaic lamps at this Turkish lamp workshop

A green linocut of a flower and foliage printed on paper and a fabric tote bag.
Until

Tote Bag Block Printing Workshop

Style your bag just the way you like it with block printing in this beginner's workshop.

Woman in blue dress sitting in a garden, with face upturned.
Until

Forest Therapy

Unwind with forest therapy (shinrin-yoku) and immerse your senses in nature.

A group of friends playing the board game dungeons and dragons at Fortress Tavern Melbourne, with a Dungeon Master dressed in a witch's costume leading the game.
Until

Dungeons and Flagons

Forge friendships through adventure at Dungeons and Flagons at Fortress.

A realist artwork of mandarins nestled in white fabric.
Until

Genevieve Gadd-Carolan: Always A Student

A reflection of the commitment to the lifelong pursuit of learning and artistic discovery.

Georgian antiques decorating a dining table, including candlesticks and ornaments.
Until

Taste and Temptation

An exhibition exploring the taste and temptations of 18th-century drinking and dining.

A black and white photograph of a family eating a meal at the family dining table circa 1950.
Until

You Have a New Memory

An exhibition that explores how and why we remember, through the lens of the Library's collections.

See all events on this weekend

More to explore

People milling around Fed Square at sunset.

What's on today

Discover free events, epic festivals and shows on in Melbourne today.

A night tennis match at Rod Laver Arena.

Major events

From the Australian Open to the Melbourne Cup, major events take centre stage throughout the year.

People on deck chairs watching a movie in Fed Square on a large screen.

What's free in Melbourne this month

Everything to see, do and enjoy in Melbourne for free this month.

A chef cooking meat skewers over a flaming grill.
–

What's on in November

Things to do in Melbourne in November, from free events to exhibitions and places to visit.